From “American Idol” to the Walk of Fame, Jennifer Hudson has cemented her status in Hollywood history. The Oscar winner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday. She was joined by her family including her husband David Otunga, their four-year-old son David Daniel Otunga, Jr., and sister Julia.

Her musical mentor Clive Davis and songwriter Diane Warren were on hand to honor the 32-year-old singer, as well as her Black Nativity collaborators Jacob Latimore and Raphael Saadiq.

She fought back tears as she spoke to the crowd. “I knew I would get emotional, and I’m sure my mom is in heaven like, ‘Jenny, stop crying,’ but now is the time to cry mama,” said J-Hud. “It’s an amazing honor as we all know, and I did not see it coming.”

The gracious Hudson was humbled by the moment. “It’s one thing to be in this type of position, but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t make a difference in the world and help someone,” she continued. “Everytime we go out, we make sure we treat everyone like family. So with that being said, I’m so honored that all my family is here with me today.”

She stars in Black Nativity, which opens in theaters on Nov. 27. Just this week, she released a lyric video for her T.I.-assisted single “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel),” with her album to follow in early 2014.